Postpartum hemorrhage: recognizing and treating it
The most common complication right after birth: here's how it's quickly detected and managed.
Postpartum hemorrhage is generally defined as blood loss over 500 ml after a vaginal birth or 1000 ml after a cesarean, most often occurring within 24 hours of birth. It affects roughly 3 to 5% of births.
The most common cause is uterine atony — the uterus not contracting firmly enough after birth to compress the blood vessels that fed the placenta. Other causes include retained placental fragments, tears to the cervix or vagina, or clotting disorders.
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Care teams closely monitor for signs of hemorrhage in the hours after birth — amount of bleeding, firmness of the uterus, blood pressure, and heart rate — and often give oxytocin preventively right after birth to help the uterus contract well.
Treatment depends on the cause: uterine massage, additional medications to stimulate contractions, removal of remaining placental fragments, or, in more severe cases, a blood transfusion or surgery. Prompt management leads to full resolution in the vast majority of cases.
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This information is general and does not replace advice from your healthcare professional (doctor, midwife, nurse, pharmacist). Every situation is unique: always check with them before making a decision. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency services.
